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TO THE PUBLIC. 


My name having been, to some extent, brought before the public 
(contrary to my wishes) as being among those from whom Gen. Taylor 
would be likely to select his Cabinet I deem it to be due to myself and 
friends to publish the subjoined correspondence, for which I have the 
permission of the President. Notwithstanding the purposes of Gen. 
Taylor, as to the composition of his Cabinet, underwent considerable 
modification subsequent to my declination of his offer, yet I desire it 
may be understood that I retract nothing of the views, sentiments, and 
avowals contained in my letter of the 2d of March. / 

TRUMAN SMITH. 

Washington, March 17, 1849. 

Willard’s Hotel, Friday, March 2. 

Dear Sir : Having the greatest confidence in your ability to fill any 
office under the Government, I desire to say that, should the bill creating 
a Home Department become a law, it is my purpose to tender you the 
appointment of Secretary of that Department. 

I have the honor to remain, with high respect, yours, very truly, 

Z. TAYLOR. 

Hon. Truman Smith, 

House of Representatives, Washington , D. C. 


Washington, (House of Reps.,) 

March 2 d, 1849. 

Gen. Zachary Taylor — 

Dear sir: I receive, with profound sensibility, the offer of a seat in your 
Cabinet as Secretary of the Home Department, (should the bill now pend- 
ing in the Senate become a law,) which you do me the honor to tender to 
me by your note of this day’s date. For this distinguished expression of 
your confidence be pleased to accept my heartfelt thanks. I assure you 
that nothing could be to me a source of more pride than to be associated 


I. k G. S. Gideon, Printer*. 


2 





I 

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with you in the administration of our Government, or to have imposed on 
me the duty of seconding your efforts to promote the happiness and pros- 
perity of the American people; but many considerations would call on me 
to pause before I could assume such high responsibilities. You are, sir, not 
unaware of the part which, as a delegate to the Philadelphia Convention, 
I felt it to be my duty to take in promoting your nomination to the Presi- 
dency, after giving full expression to the respect and confidence which 
the people of Connecticut have long cherished for the distinguished states- 
man of Kentucky, nor of the labors and responsibilities which were devolved 
on me as the organ of the Whig Executive Committee of the two Houses 
of Congress during the subsequent canvass; and I can say, with truth, 
that in performing that duty, and in undertaking those labors and responsi- 
bilities, I did not for a moment harbor the thought of deriving any other 
advantage from your success than such as would redound to the country 
at large. Were I now to accept office at your hands I should, I fear, lay 
myself open to the imputation of having been actuated by other than patri- 
otic motives. I turn, therefore, from the allurements of place and power, 
under your benignant auspices, to the high duties to which I have been 
called by the people of my native State, to whose generous confidence I 
am indebted for all that I am and all that I expect to be. As a member 
of the Senate of the United States, (however humble may be my position 
in that august body,) I flatter myself that I can contribute something to 
the success of your Administration and to the welfare of the Republic. 

And, furthermore, I deem it best not to renounce my seat in that body, 
as I am by no means satisfied with the spirit of alienation which seems to 
be springing up between different sections of our beloved country. While 
it will be my purpose to represent faithfully the predominating feeling and 
sentiment of my own section, I do not intend to be put on extreme 
courses, and hope, by concurrence in wise and moderate counsels, to aid 
in allaying the irritation now existing, to spme extent, in the public mind, 
and in adjusting pending questions in such manner as to satisfy good men 
in all parts of the Union. 

I cannot conclude this response without proffering my sympathies on 
account of the unexampled difficulties and embarrassment which have at- 
tended the discharge, by you, of one of the most delicate duties which 
can devolve on one about to become the Chief Magistrate of the Republic. 
Having spent a large portion of your life on the frontiers, far removed from 
tke abodes of civilized men, and much of the residue in the tented field, 
Iraidst the din of arms and the clangor of war, you have not enjoyed 
the usual opportunities to obtain, by personal observation and intercourse r 
a thorough knowledge of our public men; and having postponed your ar- 


3 


rival at the seat of Government until a late day, you have been plunged 
into the midst of the raging political elements of this metropolis, and are 
obliged to grope your way through all sorts of representations, vehemently 
urged, to a safe and proper organization of your Cabinet. I think, sir, 
you must be something more than human if you do not make, under such 
trying circumstances, some mistakes; and, in consideration of those circum- 
stances, your ultimate arrangements should, in my judgment, be received 
with great indulgence by your friends throughout the country. I can bear 
testimony to the profound anxiety which you have manifested to do justice 
in the selection of your confidential advisers to all the great interests of 
the country, and all sections of the Republic, and, being assured of the 
purity of your motives, and of the generous patriotism by which you are 
actuated, you have my unreserved confidence in advance, with a determi- 
nation, on my part, to stand by you “through evil report and through good 
report,” and to consecrate all my faculties to render your Administration 
as successful (so far as a proper discharge of my legislative duties can 
contribute to that end,) as your career in another department of the public 
service has been illustrious. I have, therefore, to request you to make 
other arrangements for the Home Department, should the bill pass the 
Senate, and, in the mean time, to accept assurances of the respect with 
which I am, truly aad faithfully, your friend. 


TRUMAN SMITH. 


14(5 











































































































































































































































































































































































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